Networking of Window xp and window 2000 pro

[catherine_1]

I have a tough time to connect the computers. The two computers connect to a route through the network card. The route connect to a cable moden to connect with internet. My internet connection are both fine.

I have a HP printer connect with Win 2000 computer, and I want to share it to other computers on the network. Both computer can ping themself, but not the other ones. Run ipconfig/all on both computer, I found in xp, the ip routing enabled is no, but in win 2000, the ip routing enabled is yes. I don't know how to set this and don't know if this caused problems. In window xp, in my network places I can see an icon of the win 2000 computer and the shared printer, but I cann't open it, saying network path was not found.

In win 2000 network places, I cann't find any other computer icons at all.

Try to solve the probem by setting the TCP/IP properties. I tried to use Obtain an IP address automatically or use a fixed IP address and an default gatway, but seemed not work for me. Need help. Thanks.

[Kevin Feng · Accepted solution]

Firstly, I suggest that both your computers should use a fixed/static IP adress, instead of using dynamically assigned IP addresses.

Set the computer with two network cards with IP address to say "192.168.1.1" and the subnet mask to "255.255.255.0". Gateway should be "192.168.1.1".

The other computer's IP address could be set to "192.168.1.2" and subnet mask to "255.255.255.0". Gateway "192.168.1.1".

With a static IP address, you can then try to ping the IP addresses of the computers.

I suppose cable wise you have the correct cables right? straight for computer to modem and crossover for computer to computer.
The LED lights for the computers NIC and also the cable modem should light up.

Also make sure you have enabled file and printer sharing on both computers.
The shared printer should appear in my network places. If not, connect by entering the command \\192.168.1.x or \\NameOfComputer that the printer is connected to.

Finally, my last suggestion might incur some cost. Get a multifunction router, that can share your internet conection and also your printer. www.smc.com, www.linksys.com, www.netgear.com and www.dlink.com all sell such routers.

[Jorge Pinto Leite]

Further to Kevin suggestions, why do you not consider the idea of buying a small hub to connect both computers & the modem cable? That is certainly cheaper and should work well.

[Lance Brown]

Instead of a hub, he should buy a router. A hub would require that all of his machines get an IP from the provider. A router would use one IP and then use NAT and assign IP???s to the internal machines. Most routers also have a firewall built-in. It is only a matter of time before people connected to the Internet with broadband connections are liable for what their machines do. If someone has compromised your machine and you do not taken proper precautions and was used in an attack, you will eventually be held responsible. Having a windows based machine connected directly to the Internet is not a wise move. Do the entire Internet community a favor and get a router with a firewall.

Lance

[catherine_1]

Thanks for you all. Finally my network gets connected. First I listen to Keven's suggestion and give all the computes the fixed IP address.But still for a while, I only can ping the xp computer from win 2000 computer, and xp cann't ping win 2000. In win2000 computer, everything is fine and I can look at xp computer's shared folder. But not luck for xp computer.

Today I uninstalled Client for microsoft networks and reinstalled it again in win 2000 computer. Wala, things are changed. The icon of win 2000 computer in xp computer responds my click. A pop up window of user/passwrod shows. By providing a correct one and I can see the shared folder and the printer of win 2000 computer's.

One question remaines. I still cann't ping win 2000 computer. The response is time out. I know my connection is perfect fine. Any reason for it?

[Roger Faucher]

I know this is an old thread, but since networking problems never go out of style, check out this article: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314067

Roger